Designer/art director demographics and statistics in the US
Designer/art director demographics research summary. Zippia estimates designer/art director demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our designer/art director estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about designer/art directors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 26,887 designer/art directors currently employed in the United States.
- 41.0% of all designer/art directors are women, while 59.0% are men.
- The average designer/art director age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of designer/art directors is White (67.0%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.2%), Asian (7.7%) and Unknown (5.9%).
- Designer/art directors are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- The media industry is the highest-paying for designer/art directors.
- San Francisco, CA pays an annual average wage of $131,349, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women designer/art directors earned 93% of what men earned.
- 11% of all designer/art directors are LGBT.
- Iowa is the best state for designer/art directors to live.
- Designer/art directors are 70% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Designer/art director demographics by:
Designer/art director gender statistics
41.0% of designer/art directors are women and 59.0% of designer/art directors are men.
- Male, 59.0%
- Female, 41.0%
Designer/art director gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 59.0% |
| Female | 41.0% |
Designer/art director gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$92,588
Female income
$86,183
Designer/art director gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in designer/art director positions over time. Currently, 41.0% of designer/art directors are female.
Designer/art director gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.28% | 34.72% |
| 2011 | 62.94% | 37.06% |
| 2012 | 66.10% | 33.90% |
| 2013 | 62.35% | 37.65% |
| 2014 | 59.35% | 40.65% |
| 2015 | 61.59% | 38.41% |
| 2016 | 58.46% | 41.54% |
| 2017 | 60.81% | 39.19% |
| 2018 | 60.50% | 39.50% |
| 2019 | 58.96% | 41.04% |
| 2020 | 59.05% | 40.95% |
| 2021 | 58.99% | 41.01% |
Designer/art director related jobs gender ratio
We compared designer/art directors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, exhibit builder and senior industrial designer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Decorating Consultant | 9% | 91% |
| Floral Designer | 11% | 89% |
| Floral Manager | 11% | 89% |
| Designer/Art Director | 59% | 41% |
| Craftsman | 88% | 12% |
| Senior Industrial Designer | 91% | 9% |
| Exhibit Builder | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Designer/art director demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among designer/art directors is White, which makes up 67.0% of all designer/art directors. Comparatively, 14.2% of designer/art directors are Hispanic or Latino and 7.7% of designer/art directors are Asian.
- White, 67.0%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.2%
- Asian, 7.7%
- Unknown, 5.9%
- Black or African American, 4.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
Designer/art director race
| Designer/art director race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.2% |
| Asian | 7.7% |
| Unknown | 5.9% |
| Black or African American | 4.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.9% |
Designer/art director race and ethnicity over time
See how designer/art director racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Designer/art director race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.59% | 2.95% | 6.85% | 10.38% |
| 2011 | 76.15% | 3.57% | 6.74% | 9.93% |
| 2012 | 74.83% | 3.45% | 5.97% | 11.46% |
| 2013 | 75.30% | 3.62% | 6.84% | 10.42% |
| 2014 | 74.50% | 3.49% | 7.15% | 10.65% |
| 2015 | 74.05% | 3.28% | 6.72% | 11.14% |
| 2016 | 73.69% | 2.73% | 8.23% | 10.93% |
| 2017 | 73.00% | 3.58% | 7.56% | 12.28% |
| 2018 | 72.63% | 3.40% | 8.39% | 11.71% |
| 2019 | 72.89% | 3.92% | 7.61% | 11.54% |
| 2020 | 69.91% | 3.27% | 7.98% | 12.28% |
| 2021 | 67.01% | 4.33% | 7.67% | 14.23% |
Designer/art director wage gap by race
According to our data, asian designer/art directors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american designer/art directors have the lowest average salary at $83,309.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $93,653 |
| White | $91,986 |
| Black or African American | $83,309 |
| Asian | $99,715 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $95,076 |
Average designer/art director age
See how the average age of designer/art directors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Designer/art director age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 38.5 | 34.5 |
| White | 41 | 36 |
| Black or African American | 34 | |
| Asian | 37 | 33 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 38.5 |
Designer/art director age breakdown
The average age of designer/art directors is 40+ years years old, representing 47% of the designer/art director population.
Designer/art director age breakdown
| Designer/Art Director Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 47% |
| 30-40 years | 38% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Designer/art director educational attainment
The most common degree for designer/art directors is bachelor's degree, with 74% of designer/art directors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 6%.
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Associate, 15%
- Master's, 6%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
Designer/art directors by degree level
| Designer/art director degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 74% |
| Associate | 15% |
| Master's | 6% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 3% |
Designer/art director jobs you might like
Designer/art director wage gap by degree level
According to the data, designer/art directors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $113,516 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, designer/art directors earn a median annual income of $111,275 compared to $92,288 for designer/art directors with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $113,516 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $82,935 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $111,275 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $92,288 |
Designer/art director employment statistics
Most designer/art directors work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where designer/art directors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where designer/art directors work.
Designer/art director jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Designer/art director jobs by company type
Employees with the designer/art director job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most designer/art directors prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Designer/art director jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 6% |
| Public | 21% |
| Private | 70% |
| Government | 3% |
Designer/art director jobs by industry
The most common industries for designer/art directors are media, professional and retail.
Designer/art director industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 23% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Retail | 11% |
| Fortune 500 | 10% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Education | 5% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Designer/art director turnover and employment statistics
Designer/art director unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for designer/art directors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Designer/art director unemployment rate by year
| Year | Designer/art director unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.96% |
| 2011 | 8.02% |
| 2012 | 8.31% |
| 2013 | 6.45% |
| 2014 | 5.83% |
| 2015 | 5.42% |
| 2016 | 4.83% |
| 2017 | 5.07% |
| 2018 | 4.28% |
| 2019 | 4.56% |
| 2020 | 8.18% |
| 2021 | 8.63% |
Average designer/art director tenure
The average designer/art director stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,848 designer/art directors resumes in Zippia's database.
Designer/art director tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 11% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 18% |
Designer/art director LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of designer/art directors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Designer/Art Director | 11.32% | - |
| Stage Set Designer | 12.35% | 45,818 |
| Ad Designer | 13.05% | 43,952 |
| Floral Decorator | 14.26% | 2,182 |
| Visual Merchandising Specialist | 16.91% | 32,782 |
| Fur Stylist | 17.98% | 10,232 |
| Room Designer | 22.51% | 68,469 |
Similar designer/art director jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Stage Set Designer | 12.35% | 45,818 |
| Ad Designer | 13.05% | 43,952 |
| Floral Decorator | 14.26% | 2,182 |
| Visual Merchandising Specialist | 16.91% | 32,782 |
| Fur Stylist | 17.98% | 10,232 |
| Room Designer | 22.51% | 68,469 |
Foreign languages spoken by designer/art directors
The most common foreign language among designer/art directors is Spanish at 48.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.7% and Korean is the third-most popular at 8.8%.
- Spanish, 48.0%
- French, 12.7%
- Korean, 8.8%
- Mandarin, 5.9%
- Chinese, 2.9%
- Other, 21.7%
Designer/art director languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.0% |
| French | 12.7% |
| Korean | 8.8% |
| Mandarin | 5.9% |
| Chinese | 2.9% |
| Other | 21.7% |
